10 Tips for Vegan Road Trips and a Giveaway Announcement!

Following a series of unfortunate events I have decided to move away from one of the most magical places on Earth: Mendocino, California. It’s bittersweet to leave that gorgeous piece of coastal land, but I’ve decided to drive back home to hot and sunny Atlanta, Georgia. I miss my friends and I miss my family, but I just left Mendocino and my heart already aches for the coast too. Will I ever feel settled anywhere? Ironically, I sometimes feel the most at home while on the road so this trip is, for me, a celebration of this little bit of summer we have left.

As a seasoned vegan road-tripper I can show you how easy it is to eat healthfully and compassionately while traveling with the help of a just a little planning ahead.

As I travel across the country I’ll be collecting a prize pack full of my favorite vegan and organic goodies to send off to one lucky winner! My hope is to inspire whoever wins to go out on their own grand adventure and explore this beautiful planet we live on together! There are three different ways to enter:

Sign up for the Eat Love Now mailing list (if you’re already signed up, congratulations you already have one entry)

For ten bonus entries, make any recipe from the blog and post a photo on Instagram with the hashtag #EatLoveNowRoadTripGiveAway

It’s that easy! You have until I make it to Atlanta to enter!

Now for my list of the 10 Ultimate Vegan Road Trip Tips:

Download the “Happy Cow” smartphone app. This app is amazing, it takes your GPS location and generates a list of all the vegan, vegetarian, and veg-friendly restaurants and stores in the area, as well as vegan Bed and Breakfasts, along with reviews and ratings from other vegans and vegetarians. I have found some awesome places using this app that I would have never found without it.

Make sandwiches ahead of time. You will thank yourself for this later. Even if they don’t sound good now, believe me, they will within a few hours. Grab some hearty organic bread and make a few sandwiches for each person…the more variety, the better…think sliced organic vegetables, avocado, pesto, hummus, mustard, pb+j, etc). Bagels and rolls are great for road trip sandwiches because they don’t get soggy so fast.

Bring a small cutting board and fold-up knife for cutting fresh veggies. If you’re trying to feel bright and healthy on the road, fresh sliced organic vegetables are key.

Visit local farm stands and farmers markets as you travel. This way you can get the freshest produce, feel really good about where your money is going, support small farmers, taste local flavors, and sometimes even see the garden where your food was grown! Sometimes seeking these out will take you a little off the beaten path, but this is a good thing!

Pack lots of snacks that don’t need to be kept cold (because there is never enough room in the cooler): Like PEANUT BUTTER! Pacific Foods Organic Hummus is another road trip champ because it doesn’t need to be refrigerated until it’s opened. Munch on this with crackers, chips, pita bread, bagels, pretzels, or fresh sliced veggies like broccoli, cauliflower, bell pepper, or cucumber. Nuts, apples, tangerines and dried fruit are some more favorites of mine.

Bring some BANANAS! Eat them plain, roll them up with peanut butter in tortillas, put them on a PB+J… just eat them before they start to make the car smell like bananas.

Bring a reusable water bottle + an insulated bottle for hot coffee or tea, because who needs extra trash in the car and why waste if you don’t have to? On the same note, bring along a couple of empty Tupperware containers if you plan on eating out and taking leftovers.

Brew a big jar full of cold brew coffee or strong tea ahead of time and keep it in a cooler. This will save you tons of money if you love coffee on road trips like I do, and time too, because you won’t be stopping at coffee shops if you bring your own. You can also bring along your own teabags and make tea with the hot water available at most gas stations.

Fast food options AKA Last Resorts: I know these aren’t all organic but sometimes you just need something quick, warm, and filling. Taco bell: order anything “fresco style” and they will automatically replace all the dairy with pico de gallo. In N’ Out: order a veggie burger with ketchup and mustard instead of the spread (I like to add pickle too). Be warned that there is no actual veggie patty, it’s more of just a veggie sandwich, but with a side of fries (I like mine lightly cooked) this still tastes like a quintessential American meal. Chipotle‘s sofritas are another option. Also, Whole Foods‘ hot bar tends to have lots of vegan and organic options, but my favorite thing to get from them is the vegan pizza by the slice. Safeway/Kroger usually has veggie or avocado sushi rolls in a cold case near the deli section…worth a shot.

Happy travels to you all! Don’t forget to enter to win the box of compassionate treats and treasures by signing up for the email list or entering via Instagram. You have until I make it to Atlanta to enter! Follow me on Snapchat for live updates on my travels!

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Georgia girl living in Northern California who loves to EAT! More important than that I love this planet and I love all the beings that live here, so I'm trying to help make it a more compassionate place. I'm hoping to inspire you to create flavorful Southern food (and other kinds of food too) using fresh, organic, plant-based ingredients, and maybe inspire you to think about some new ideas too. Eat Love Now is about living through the heart and enjoying thoughtful, kind, and delicious meals.
Thank you so much for being here with me!
so much Love and Gratitude,
Melissa